The present invention generally relates to the packaging of cracker-type baked goods, and, in particularly to conveyor systems for collating plural flows of wrapped slugs of crackers (or the like) to provide a single flow to a subsequent packaging operation.
Baked goods which are slug wrapped are commonly packaged in cardboard cartons, a specific number of slugs being loaded into each carton. The carton loading machines are designed to handle the output of a plurality of slug wrapping machines. Since each carton loader is fed by a single conveyor, the flow of slugs from a number of slug wrappers must be combined on the single infeed conveyor.
It is frequently desirable to provide slug wrapped products in packages of different sizes. For example, it is common to provide such products in a carton which contains two slugs and in a larger carton which contains four slugs.
Each carton loading machine handles only one size carton. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to combine the output of the slug wrappers on either of two conveyors, each leading to a different carton loader.
In the prior art arrangements, the slugs leaving the slug wrappers are oriented longitudinally on the conveyors. The input conveyors from two slug wrappers extend parallel to each other up to a horizontal plate. The input conveyors deliver their slugs onto the plate in side by side relationship. The momentum of the slugs cause them to slide across the plate and impact against a stop arranged perpendicular to their direction of travel.
At the instant of impact, an overhead sweep mechanism moving at right angles to the slugs sweeps the slugs off the plate onto one of two out put conveyors. The output conveyors extend from opposite side edges of the plate, at right angles to the input conveyors. The output conveyors each lead to a carton loader for a different size carton.
Mechanisms are provided on the input conveyors to regulate the product flow on each of these conveyors so that the leading ends of two parallel slugs (one on each conveyor) hit the stop simultaneously and in synchronism with the overhead sweep mechanism.
Experience has shown that this arrangement is subject to malfunctions. Since the slugs are oriented on the conveyor parallel the their direction of travel, the conveyor must move very rapidly to keep the carton loaders operating at capacity. This high speed operation of the conveyors makes the synchronism of the overhead sweep mechanism critical.
If the slugs, when they impact against the stop, are out of alignment with their direction of travel (even minutely), they will pivot on the plate, disrupting the smooth flow product. It is necessary, therefore, that the overhead sweep mechanism pick off the slug just at the point of impact.